A good read. This storyline is different from anything that I have read. The characters were interesting and kept me reading.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

Gone (or Mind Games) by Leona Deakin was a very interesting novel. It revolves around a missing persons case that quite quickly evolves into something much more sinister.

I really enjoy this style of book, but to me it was a little too predictable. I foresaw the ending about halfway through the book. However - I still enjoyed it. It discusses what most psychological thrillers try to do but in much greater detail.

Thriller fans and fans of dark mysteries will enjoy this book.

I see this story in three sections, the beginning was too slow, the middle was exciting and sadly for me, the conclusion was predictable. I love stories where I don’t see the twist and this ended up disappointing me. Therefore I have mixed feelings about this book but I was determined to see it to the end as I was intrigued by the concept of the game and I liked the character of Marcus.

Well this was a thriller with a difference! A nice change to many of the usual formulaic novels currently in the market. Creepy and twisty, I loved it! Didn’t want it to end.

My thanks to NetGalley and Publisher, Random House UK, Transworld, for the ARC.
Oh My - what a unique story-line. This is a rather creepy psychological mystery/thriller. If it's your birthday and you get a shiny card which says 'Your Gift is The Game - Dare to Play' - for goodness sakes - just walk away! However, if you happen to have a particular personality trait you would of course ignore my warning, because you wouldn't be able to resist the challenge!
Dr Augusta Bloom is a psychologist. She has her own private practise and works closely with the police and probation service. She, together with Marcus Jameson - and ex-MI6 operative - work together as an investigative team and have a certain symbiotic relationship. Augusta is highly intelligent, calculative, very private and somewhat cold; Marcus obviously has some affection for her which isn't returned.
When Marcus's sister asks him for a favour - to look into the disappearance of Lana - the mother of teenager Jane, both he and Augusta become drawn into 'The Game'.

Well, it is all rather intriguing as the investigation gets underway, Lana isn't the only person to have disappeared without trace after receiving such a card, but I found the constant musings and deliberations from Augusta extremely tedious, as well as her ability to find a train, just at the right time, going to just the right place, between London and Yorkshire. This kind of confuses things.
Overall, the premise of the story was interesting, if not a little unbelievable, leading to, for me, an unsatisfactory ending..

A fast thriller by a new author Leona Deakin. The book was quite unexpected and different.
The story involved a weird game where people disappeared and only their birthday cards were left behind. Everyone thought it to be a new online game which keep popping up on the internet except Augusta who was a psychologist.
Augusta was strong and gutsy. She asked questions, delved into matters. I liked the way her intelligent mind was shown.
The story read fast, the twists and turns were pretty darn sharp and I read the book for the pure thrill of it. Hence I didn't bother to try to guess the end.
Overall I had fun. And I would read this author again

I really enjoyed this thriller about a sick game recruiting a mixed bunch of people to perform a number of different dares and tasks and a two people trying to stop it all before things get out of hand. It’s a really fast paced read and a different take of a thriller.

A very cleverly written book. Very addictive and with a unique plot. Some good ideas in there and a very good ending. This will keep you addicted right to the end. Definitely worth a read.

This was my first book of Leona's and I have to say, I really enjoyed it.

The mystery game and the disappearances of people really had me intrigued as to what was going on behind-the-scenes and who was doing this.

Dr Augusta Bloom was a very admirable character and whilst she wasn't actually a detective, but a psychologist - no one would've gotten to the bottom of this without her.

The twist nearing the end was obvious when it was revealed, however, leading up to it, I would've never had guessed it and loved it. It really tied everything up perfectly.

This was unusual as it combined psychology and a missing person investigation. I enjoyed the plot and will be looking out for more novels by this author.

A very well written debut novel, with some intricate plot twists.

I felt quite smug identifying one of the attributes for one of the main characters, but even then I did not get to the correct depths to fully appreciate the clues given.

I felt that this book was not the first in a series and that there will be more to follow. I was pleasantly surprised to find that it is the first, but really hope that there will be more.

Congratulations to Ms Deakin for this.

There is much to like in Leona Deakin's debut crime thriller, elements of it make for an exciting and compulsive read. I am uncertain as to whether this is the first in a series, but I was engaged with the main protagonist, a dispassionate and analytical Dr Augusta Bloom, a psychologist who specialises in psychopaths, dangerous and otherwise, and a private investigator. She works with the ex-intelligence services, Marcus Jameson, the polar opposite to Bloom as a personality. Jameson brings in Bloom on the odd circumstances surrounding the disappearance on her birthday of a military mother, Lana, suffering PTSD, whose teenage daughter, Jane, has often been looked after by his sister, Claire, when Lana has been on military tours. Lana left behind a birthday card she had received, strangely to celebrate her 1st birthday, with the following inside the card, Your gift is the game. Dare to play?

It turns out there are others, just like Lana, who have received the same birthday card and disappeared on their birthdays too, but the police are unwilling to take this seriously, and only family and friends left behind are desperately worried. As Augusta and Marcus begin to investigate, it becomes clear that the picture they had built up of those disappearing is less than accurate, and what they have in common is a range of traits that raise deep concerns, something that results in a family tragedy. This has the police taking a greater interest, led by Chief Superintendent Steve Barker and his team, working with Bloom and Marcus. It soon becomes apparent more than a 100 people have been lured into playing the 'game', invited on their birthdays, and it turns out one of them is a high ranking police officer with a shady reputation. Who is behind these sinister mind games and identifying people with such personality traits, and what is their aim?

I read a lot of crime fiction and thrillers, and whilst this is an enjoyable and entertaining read which many readers will like, for me there were some problematic issues with it, unfortunately many of which are spoiler territory. What I can say is that when measured with the best writing in this genre, this crime read needs significantly tighter plotting and the characterisation feels a little on the weak side. Having said all that, I would like to underline the fact that I am certain many crime fiction readers will love this unconditionally, and I will definitely read whatever Leona Deakin writes next. Many thanks to Random House Transworld for an ARC.

This is a good, exciting crime thriller with well researched criminal psychology components.
The story is solid and original, the characters likeable and credible.
At times I found it a little predictable and the ending was unfortunately quite disappointing because of this, but overall this is a well written and gripping story worthy of 3.5 stars.

Wow this was awesome!!!! A very messed up story with lots of twists and turns keeping you on tenterhooks throughout!!!

Mind Games

Brilliant debut. Addictive, tense and gripping. Read it in two sittings. Highly recommended.

This is one of the most addictive books that I have read for some time. An excellent debut novel.
An excellent story beautifully written with great characters

With thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC, which I have enjoyed reading.
Mind Games is the author’s Leona Deakin’s debut as a thriller writer and I found it was very interesting and clever book. It was an engrossing read and the storyline was fascinating. The main characters, Augusta Bloom and Marcus Jameson were an interesting team who worked together well and it would be great to read other books in a series with them as the main characters again.
Highly recommended.

This was a slow starter for me and I wasn't sure if I should continue however it then became a gripping debut novel.
The psychological thriller Mind Games ticks all the boxes and keeps you guessing until the very end with twists and turns and double bluffs to create a brilliant book.
I look forward to leona's next novel.

This is an intriguing psychological thriller which will keep you engrossed throughout. Well written and full of interesting characters. Well worth reading.

I don't even have the words to describe how much I enjoyed this book.

It was psychologically horrifying. The story flowed so easily and the twists were impossible to see coming.

The premise of the book is fascinating alone but the story itself was just incredible. The end hints at possibly a second installment and I truly hope it isn't a long wait for it. I couldn't put this book down once I'd started, I just needed to read more and more. I'm devestated that it's over because it's been a while since I've wholeheartedly enjoyed a book like this.

All other psychological thriller authors need to move over because Deakin has taken the crown.